Georges Clemenceau quotes

Georges Clemenceau was a French statesman and journalist, most famous for his leadership during World War I. Known as "The Tiger," he played a key role in shaping the Treaty of Versailles. He remains a symbol of French determination and resilience. Here are 55 of his quotes:

War is a series of catastrophes that results in a victory.

Georges Clemenceau

War is too serious a matter to entrust to military men.

Georges Clemenceau

All that I know I learned after I was thirty.

Georges Clemenceau

America is the only nation in history which miraculously has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization.

Georges Clemenceau

A man's life is interesting primarily when he has failed - I well know. For it's a sign that he tried to surpass himself.

Georges Clemenceau

I do not know whether war is an interlude in peace, or whether peace is an interlude in war.

Georges Clemenceau

When a man asks himself what is meant by action he proves that he isn't a man of action. Action is a lack of balance. In order to act you must be somewhat insane. A reasonably sensible man is satisfied with thinking.

Georges Clemenceau

My home policy: I wage war. My foreign policy: I wage war. All the time I wage war.

Georges Clemenceau

The Germans may take Paris, but that will not prevent me from going on with the war. We will fight on the Loire, we will fight on the Garronne, we will fight even in the Pyrenees. And if at last we are driven off the Pyrenees, we will continue the war at sea.

Georges Clemenceau

Oh, to be seventy again!

Georges Clemenceau

There are only two perfectly useless things in this world. One is an appendix and the other is Poincaré.

Georges Clemenceau

My son is 22 years old. If he had not become a Communist at 22, I would have disowned him. If he is still a Communist at 30, I will do it then.

Georges Clemenceau

There is no passion like that of a functionary for his function.

Georges Clemenceau

A man who waits to believe in action before acting is anything you like, but he's not a man of action.

Georges Clemenceau

In order to act, you must be somewhat insane. A reasonably sensible man is satisfied with thinking.

Georges Clemenceau

I think war is inevitable. We must do nothing to provoke it, but we must be ready for it; helped by Russia and England, doubtless by Spain also and perhaps by Italy as well, we may be able to win. In any case it will be a life and death affair: if we are beaten we will be crushed.

Georges Clemenceau

It was I who gave the title "J'accuse" to Zola's letter.

Georges Clemenceau

I have come to the conclusion that force is right. Why is this chicken here? (pointing to his plate). Because it was not strong enough to resist those who wanted to kill it. And a very good thing too!

Georges Clemenceau

For you a hundred years is a very long time; for us it does not amount to much. I knew men who had seen Napoleon with their own eyes. We have our conception of history and it cannot be the same as yours.

Georges Clemenceau

No, my friend, Germany will not declare war on us [at this moment]. But in my opinion the European situation is such that a great armed conflict is inevitable at some time which I cannot foresee, and our duty is to prepare for the worst.

Georges Clemenceau

The enemy is at the gates of the city. The day is perhaps not far off when our breasts will be the last defence for our country. We are the children of the Revolution. Let us take inspiration from our fathers of 1792, and, like them, we will conquer.

Georges Clemenceau

Mr. Wilson bores me with his Fourteen Points; why, God Almighty has only Ten!

Georges Clemenceau